| Driver 2 - (1/2) | Mugwum [18-Nov-2000] |
Sequels are either better or worse than their predecessors, and this is how they’re judged. The concept of a sequel being its own game is completely alien to the average gamer, and it’s for this reason that Driver 2 suffers so badly. In its own right it could be just about playable, but with the original still fresh in many people’s minds it’s going to take a lot of flack.
This is because, if we’re honest, Driver 2 isn’t a very good game. Reflections have decided to focus on minor niggles in the Driver code instead of tightening up some of the big issues that plagued the previous game. As such these problems (including pop-up amongst other things) are accentuated, and because the engine is so over-stretched in places, the game even locks up at times, and the framerate is ghastly.
But where did it all go wrong? Well it starts right at the beginning. The whole concept of you, Tanner, the undercover cop was clichéd to begin with, but by focusing so heavily on the driving angle the first game worked. It started out hard by making you learn advanced techniques in the underground garage and it then let you sit back whilst it eased you gradually into higher gear until you were fighting the steering wheel against the clock in later missions. Even so, the challenges were definitely proportionate to the feeling of satisfaction gained from victory.
In contrast, Driver 2 vanquishes the proving grounds because it seems they were too hard, and instead throws you directly into the action without any real schooling. And thanks to the fluctuating difficulty level this is going to be quite a major problem. The first couple of missions are like a leisurely drive to the edge of a cliff on a summer’s day, but the third is like driving down the side of it, only to have your fall broken by the cushy fourth, which introduces you to the next series, which are a bit like driving back up the cliff in a torrential downpour. Then repeat; it’s erratic and no real fun at all. The learning curve must look like a join-the-dots picture.
To go back to the original again, you may remember the overly cumbersome cutscenes, and how one of the best aspects of the game was that by ignoring them completely you could still have immense fun. Driver 2 includes even longer scenes with even less favourable production, and ultimately requires you to pay attention. This is actually quite a chore, and thanks to their cryptic nature you never really have a clue what’s going on anyway.
Things don’t get much better if you look elsewhere either. The alternative modes, Gate Chase, Quick Chase, CTF, Take a Ride, Survivor and Checkpoint have all seen some level of alteration as well, with some available in two-player. Playing with two players is no more boring or interesting than otherwise, and because the camera is fixed to the front of the car you don’t see any real drop in framerate (although it was terrible to start with so don’t get your hopes up).
